Emergencies FAQs

We’re a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) which brings 15 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis. So that we can raise funds quickly and efficiently.

The 15 charities are:

• ActionAid
• Action Against Hunger
• Age International
• British Red Cross
• CAFOD
• Care International
• Christian Aid
• Concern Worldwide
• International Rescue
• Islamic Relief Worldwide
• Oxfam GB
• Plan International UK
• Save the Children UK
• Tearfund
• World Vision UK.

Aid cuts are a betrayal of the world’s most vulnerable children.

The funding gaps we’re facing could force us to close down programmes that are a lifeline to children.

Cutting aid does not make the world safer. Poverty, conflict, and climate disasters don’t stay contained. They lead to more displaced people, increased instability, and bigger threats to international peace - including for the UK. Slashing aid makes the world less safe.

You can find out more and/or donate here.

We’ve been working across East Africa for may years. Running longer-term programmes alongside short-term disaster responses. Working together with local partners, governments and communities.

• In Ethiopia, we're supporting farmers with seeds, tools and livestock feed.
• In Kenya, we're training health volunteers to detect child malnutrition in young children, so they can support families in areas with high rates.
• In Somalia, we're providing emergency water supplies and building water stations for families in camps.

You can donate to the appeal here.

Together with local partners, we've helped more than 2.6 million people - including more than 1.1 million children - in Ukraine and the region over the last two years.

This is only possible because of people like you: since 24th February 2022, you raised an astonishing £400,000,000 through the DEC Ukraine Appeal.

Find out more about what we've done with the money so far and/or donate here.

We want to make sure supporters’ money is making the biggest possible difference for children. And restricting money to a particular place or programme isn’t always best. 

With more unrestricted funds, we can respond the moment an emergency hits without having to raise money first. We can make sure families are better prepared to cope long before disaster strikes. We can help communities set up early warning systems, so they know an earthquake’s coming and can get to a safe place. And we can get supplies to children immediately because we already have our team prepped, ready to respond.  

But it might not be spent on emergencies at all. It could mean we don’t have to say ‘no’ to a family in the UK who can’t afford a cot for their baby, just because that pot of money’s run out. We won’t have to wait critical weeks to fund a vaccination drive during a disease outbreak in Somalia. And we won’t have to stop running lifechanging training for farming families in Guatemala, just because it’s not always top of people’s minds. In a nutshell: it’s the best way to change lives, today and for generations to come. 

These funds may support a wide range of priorities, including programme development, core  infrastructure, staff training, policy and advocacy work, or strengthening local partnerships. 
They are always directed towards delivering the greatest benefit for children.

We have robust financial oversight and governance in place. Donors receive annual reports, impact updates, and real stories of children and families we work with that demonstrate how funds have been used effectively and ethically.

Yes, often a greater one. Unrestricted gifts allow us to act swiftly and strategically, ensuring support reaches children in overlooked crises or strengthens essential systems and services that designated funding often cannot cover.

Definitely. While unrestricted gifts aren’t tied to one specific project, we provide regular updates, stories, and thematic impact reports that show how your support has helped children be safe, grow up healthy and have the chance to learn.

Unrestricted donors play a unique and strategic role. Your support helps drive innovation, fund forgotten crises, and build long-term impact. It’s a smart, high-impact way of giving, trusted by those who understand the complexities of global development

The Emergency Fund (also referred to as the Children’s Emergency Fund by other members & Save the Children International) is an example of flexible funding. It is not classified as ‘fully unrestricted’ as the funds must be used for humanitarian work. However, Country Offices have a lot of flexibility in HOW they spend these funds in an emergency. Therefore, it is also often referred to as a ‘semi-flexible fund’. In some instances, members may choose to dedicate some unrestricted funding to the 
Emergency Fund, but this can change each year so cannot be relied on for donor reporting.